Shipping crate and closure therefor



March 31. 1925.

f G. H. HAMP SHIPPING CRATE AND CLOSURE THEREFOR Filed March 6, 1924 Patented Mar. 31, 1925.

UNITED STATES GEORGE H. HATJIP, OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS.

SHIPPING CRETE AND CLOSURE THEREFOR.

Application filed March 6, 1924.

To (all 107mm it mag concern:

Be it known that I, Gnouen H; Hater, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Decatur, county of Macon,

5 State of Illinois, have invented certain new and u ful Improvements in and Relating- Lll to or ping Crates and Closures Therefior, of which the following is aspeciaca-t-ion.

This invention relates to certain improve nxcnts in shipping crates and closures there Tor; and the nature and objects of the invention will be readily recognized and understood by those skilled in the art involved in the ii and (let iug drawings illustrating what I at present consider to be the preferred embodiments or mechanical expressions of my inventionfrom among *arious other forms, arrange coin mations and constructions of the invention is capable Within the and scope thereof.

With the conventional types of shipping or boxes, such for example as the well known rcood egg crates or cases in u iversal use for packing and shipping s, the closure or top tor such a. crate is gcner lly formed of a relatively thin wood board or boards placed across and over the open upper side of the crate and fixed in position closing the same by nailing or otherwise lining the ends of the closure- "ibility 01" resulting damage through the hing or splitting of the board or boards over, so as to render the cover Xlltl use. Dania e is likewise :l in .nail no; the ends of tl e lo the CIZH'Q end walls with ht of the following explanation .iied description of the accompany- Serial Nb. 697,249.

the result that the cover or closure .is-Wea'k-v ened and? liable to break or become detached when subjected to blows and strainsin use. Further, theoperations of nailing a cratecerer or closure, and of removing the same to open a crate, call for theexpenditure-ota considerable amount of time and labor which is a: decided disadvantage attendant this prevailing method of attaching ar-d re-- moving the covers to and from such gen eral type of shipping cratei Therefore, one of the mainand fundamental objects of the present invention is to eliminate the necessity of nailing or similar ly fixingthe covers or closures to Wood and such like shipping crates with the attend ant disadvantages in attaching and removing the same to and from crate, by providing for the. ready and quick attachment and removal of a closure or cover from a shipping crate Without injury or damage to the cover or the crate so that a cover can be repeately used rlnotherobject of the invention isto provide a metal end clip; or cl'eat torthe endsof Wood closures or coversr or shipping crates or the ll-l 6,.Wl1lCl1 is sov -formed and mounted that a cover can he firmly secured in. position on and closinga crate Without the use of nails or similar fastening means.

Another object of the invention isto pro vide a sheet metal or the like material clip or cleat for mounting on the ends of Wood closures or covers for shipping crates, which in mounted attached position on the ends of a cover form binding and bracing elements therefor guarding the cover against damage, and which further provide means for attaching and securing a cover in position on and closing a crate.

A further object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive and simple metal; clip or cleat. capable of production in quantities, and adapted for attachment on and over the ends of the conventional or other types of closure or cover for a shipping crate, and which in attached position on a cover provide elements by which the cover can be detachably secured to the crate in position closing the same without the necessity of nailing or similarly securing the cover to the crate.

With the foregoing general objects, and certain other objects and results in view, which other objects and results will be read ily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description, the invention consists in certain novel features in construction and in combination and arrangement of elements, as will be more fully and particularly referred to and specified hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a wood shipping crate and cover therefor, of the more or less conventional egg crate type, with the wood cover equipped with the end clips or cleats of the invention and in attached position on and closing the crate.

Fig. 2, is a vertical, longitudinal section through the crate cover and end clips or cleats of the invention with the cover in closed position on a crate and the end cleats thereof attached to the end walls of the crate and securing the cover on and to the crate, portions only of the crate end walls being shown.

Fig. 3, is a detail perspective view of an outer end portion of an end clip or cleat in attached position on a wood cover, and showing the manner of securing the cleat over the outer side edge of the cover, a portion only of which is shown.

In Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings a wood egg crate of more or less conventional type familiar to those skilled in this art is shown, and includes the usual end walls 10, side walls 11, bottom wall (not shown) and closure or cover 12. The end walls 10 are provided with the upper and lower transverse braces or wood cleats 14 and 15 nailed thereacross on the exterior thereof in the us'ual manner. The closure or cover 12 is formed in the present instance of a single wood board, and according to the prevailing methods in general use is secured in position on and closing the crate by nailing the ends thereof to the upper transverse wood cleats 14 on the opposite end walls 10, as hereinbefore referred to. However, frequently a wood crate cover is formed of two or more boards secured together by transverse wood cleats, as will be readily recognized by those familiar with shipping crates, and therefore not necessary of illustration herewith. Hence, it is not intended by the illustrated example to restrict the use of the invention to a single piece wood closure or cover, as it is equally applicable and obtains certain decided advan tages in use with a cover formed of several boards.

In accordance with the invention, the wood crate cover 12 is provided with the metal clips or cleats 20 attached over and extending across the opposite ends thereof, respectively. In the disclosed mechanical expression of the invention, each clip or cleat 20 is formed of a single piece or blank of sheet metal of a length substantially the same as the width of the crate cover 12, which blank is bent or folded over upon itself along a longitudinal line to provide a flange 21 formed of two plies for a por tion of its width or depth. The outer ply of flange 21 extends a distance beyond the inner ply thereof, and the inner and outer plies of the flange are bent at an angle to the plane of flange 21 to form the spaced flanges 22 and 23 extending laterally from one side of the flange 21, as particularly shown in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings. Each of the flanges 22 and 23 is formed at its opposite ends with the ears or tabs 24 adjacent the outer or free longitudinal edges thereof, respectively, extending along a portion of the flange side edges and terminating a distance from the flange 21 (see Fig. 3 of the drawings particularly).

Intermediate the ends of the'flange 21 a bore or opening 25 (see Fig. 2) is formed through the multiple portion thereof and the portion of the flange adjacent the bore 25 is bent or pressed at opposite sides of the flange so as to in effect offset the bore 25 from the plane of the flange, in the present instance the flange on the outer side of the bore is bent in a direction away from the lateral spaced flanges 22 and 23 (see Fig. 2), for a purpose referred to and explained hereinafter.

A sheet metal clip or cleat 20 so formed is mounted on and attached over and to the end of a crate closure or cover such as the cover 12, by the spaced flanges 22 and 23. The flanges 22 and 23 are fitted over the end portion of the cover 12 with the forward edge thereof abutting or bearing against the portion of the outer ply of flange 21 extending across and between the flanges 22 and 23, so that these flanges of the cleat 20 form in effect a socket to receive the cover end with the flanges extending inwardly a distance over the upper and lower sides of the cover. The cleat 20 is mounted on the end of the crate cover with the flange 21 depending downwardly therefroi'n, and is fixed or secured in position on the cover by means of nails, screws, belts or the like passing through the cover and the flanges 22 and 23, in the ex niple illustrated the nails 26 are employed for this purpose, as shown in F 2. If desired found expedient suitable alined bores can be formed in the flanges 22 and 23 to receive the nails 26 or other fastening means employed. After a cleat 20 is fixed in position over and extending across the end of a 010.- sure, as above described, the opposite end portions of the flanges forming the ears or tabs 24 are bent inwardly toward each other to position bearing and binding against the side edges of the cover respectively adjacent thereto. This position of the portions forn ing the tabs 24 is clearl shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

At this point attention is directed to the fact that the tabs or ears 2% of the flanges 22 and 23 can be formed by extended portions of the flanges, or can be formed by making the flanges slightly greater in length than the width of the cover to which applied and then bending or forcing the outer portions of the end overhang of the flanges inwardly against the cover side edge, as indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings by the portion of the flanges adjacent the flange 21 extending a distance beyond the side edge of the cover 12.

In the form of crate illustrated an example herewith, the cover 12 thereof is provided at both ends with one of the metal clips or cleats 20 extending completely thereover and thereacross, with the flanges 21 thereof, respectively, depending downwardly a distance below the cover 12. The cover is placed in position on the crate over and closing the open side thereof, with the flanges 21 of the cleats 20 depending a distance over the transverse wood braces 14 at the upper ends of the opposite end walls 10 of the crate, the cover 12 being of a length slightly greater than the over-all length o1 the crate so that the flanges 21 lit over the transverse braces 14 (see Fig- The cover 12 is detachably secured in mounted position on and closing the crate through the medium of theopposite end depending flanges 21 of the cleats 20, re spectively. In the instant example, the crate is provided at each end thereof with a staple 16 secured in substantially horizontal position in the transverse braces Li and extending outwardly a distance therefrom with the openings thereof below and in substantial vertical alinei ent respectively, with the bores through the depending cleat flanges 21, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. A length of wire or the like 27 is then threaded through the bore 25 of each cleat flange 21 and the staple therebelow, and twisted together as shown in Fig. 2, to bind and firmly secure the flanges 21 to the staples 25, respectively, and thus tightly and securely attach the cover 12 in mounted position on and closing the crate. "When it is desired to remove the cover, the wires 27 can either be untwisted or cut and the cover 12 thereby detached for removal from the crate. it will be here noted that due to the offset position, oi the bores 25 with respect to the depending flanges 21 of the cleats, that the wires 27 are readily threaded or passed therethrongl-i and through the staples. 16, respectively, which are in vertical alineinent therewith.

In the -foregoing manner through the medium of the metal end clips or cleats 20 attached on and over the opposite ones of the wood cover 12, this cover can be quickly secured and attached in position on and closing a crate by binding the depending flanges 21 to the staples 16 on the crate with wire or the like 27. The cover 12 can likewise be quickly-removed to open the crate without possibility of injuring or damaging the cover, with the result that the cover can be repeatedly used for an indefinite period of time. The metal end cleats form braces which bind and protect the ends of the cover and prevent breakage or splitting thereof, while the portions 24: bent over the side edges of the cover further ai'd againstsplintering or splitting of the material forming the cover. With those covers, hereinbefore referred to, formed of several boards, the use of the metal cleats of the invention eliminates all cross members and braces and securely bind the boards in cover forming position.

In the illustrated example of the invein tion the cleats 20 are formed with a single bore 25 in flanges 21 for attaching the cleats to the crate, but the invention contemplates and includes the provision of two or more bores 25 through each cleat flange 21 for attachment to suitable elements, such as the staples 16, on the ends of a crate.

While the invention is disclosed herewith as applied to and in-use with a wood crate and cover of the egg crate type, it will be readily apparent that the invention is like wise applicable to other types of crates, as well as containers and receptacles generally where similar closure conditions are encountered. Further, the principles and features of the invention as exemplified by the illustrated application thereof to a wood crate and cover, are capable of adapt-ion and use with crates and receptacles of other materials, such as metal, and it is not desired therefore to confine the use of the invention to crates of the wood types.

It is also evident that various changes, variations, substitutions and modifications might be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope or" my invention, and hence, I do not wish to limit myself to the exact disclosures hereof.

Desiring to protect my invention in the broadest manner legally possible, what I claim is:

1. In a crate including end walls and a cover, an end cleat attached over and extending across an end of the cover, a fastening element on the adjacent end wall of the crate, and a detachable securing member adapted to connect said cover end cleat and the fastening element on the crate end wall.

2. In a crate including end walls and a cover, an end cleat attached over and extending across an end of the cover, said cleat having a depending flange, a fastening element on the adjacent end wall of the crate, and a detachable securing member connecting the depending flange of said cover end cleat and the fastening element on the adjacent end wall of the crate.

3. In a crate including end walls and a cover, an end cleat attached over and extending across an end of the cover, said cleat having a depending flange formed with a bore therethrough, an apertured member on the adjacent end wall of the crate and disposed below the bore of said end cleat flange, and a detachable securing member extending through said flange bore and said apertured member on the adjacent end wall of the crate to secure the end of the crate cover in closed position on the crate.

4. In a crate including opposite end walls and a cover, an end cleat attached over and extending across each end of the cover, each cleat formed with a depending flange having a bore therethrough, and detachable securing members in said cleat flange bores for attachment to the adjacent end walls, respectively, of the crate to secure the cover in closed position.

5. In a crate including wood end walls and a wood cover, a metal cleat attached over and across an end of the cover and formed with a depending flange having a bore therethrough offset outwardly from the plane of the flange, and an apertured member mounted on the end wall of the crate below and vertically alined with the bore of said cleat flange with the cover in closed position on the crate.

6. In a crate including end walls and acover, a metal cleat fitted over an end of the cover and extending completely thereacross to form a. bracing and guarding member therefor, said cleat provided with a flange depending below the cover, and a member mounted on an end wall of the crate for detachable connection with said depending cleat flange to secure the end of the cover to the crate.

7. In a crate including end walls and a cover, a metal cleat fitted over an end of the cover and extending thereacross and a distance beyond the opposite sides thereof with the extended ends bent inwardly against the opposite side ed 'es, respectively, of the cover, and the said cleat formed with a depending flange for detachable connection with an end wall of the crate to secure the cover thereon.

8. In a crate including end walls and a cover, a metal cleat attached over an end of the cover and formed with a depending flange having a bore therethrough offset out wardly from the plane of the flange, and a staple secured on an end wall of the crate in position below and in vertical alinement with said offset aperture of the cleat flange when the cover is in closed position on the crate.

9. A crate including end walls and a cover, a cleat fitting over and extending across each end of the cover and formed with a portion depending therefrom on the exterior of the adjacent end wall of the crate, a member mounted on each end wall below the respective depending cleat portion, and a detachable member connecting each depending cleat portion with the end wall member therebelow, to detachably fasten and maintain the cover in position on and closing the crate.

10. An end clip for crate covers, embodying spaced flanges formed to fit over and be attached to the end of a cover, and a portion depending from said flanges for detachable fastening to a. crate body.

11. A metal end clip for crate covers, embodying spaced flanges formed to fit over and receive the end of a cover therebetween, and a depending flange portion extending laterally from said end receiving flanges for detachable fastening to a crate body.

12. A metal end clip for crate covers, enibodying spaced flanges formed to fit over and receive the end of a crate cover therebetween, and a flange depending from one end of said spaced flanges, the said depending flange formed with a bore therethrough offset from the plane thereof.

13. A metal end cleat for crate covers, embodying spaced flanges formed to fit over and receive the end of a crate cover therebetween, said flanges of a length greater than the width of a cover end to be received therein and forming opposite end portions for bending inwardly against a cover side edge, and a flange depending from said cover receiving flanges for detachable fastening to a crate body.

14. A metal end cleat for crate covers, embodying a cover end receiving portion formed to fit over and be fixed on the end of a cover, and a depending flange portion formed to be detachably fastened to the crate body.

15. As a new article of manufacture, a sheet metal end clip for crate covers, comprising spaced flanges formed to fit over and be fixed to the end of a crate cover, and a depending flange extending laterally from said spaced flanges and provided with a bore therethrough offset laterally from the plane thereof.

16. As a new article of inamifacture, a sheet metal end clip for crate covers, comprising spaced flanges to receive and be attached over the end of a crate cover, and,

a depending flange extending laterally from one end of said spaced flange, a portion of said depending flange offset laterally from the side thereof opposite said spaced flanges and provided with a bore therethrough.

17. As a new article of manufacture, a sheet metal end eleat for crate covers, C0111- posed of a single blank of sheet metal folded longitudinally to provide a double-ply flange portion having the lys thereof bent 1 anges arranged 4 laterally to form spaced to fit over and receive the end of a crate cover, said doubleply flange formed for detachable fastening to a crate body.

Signed at Decatur, Macon County, Illi- 15 nois, this 4th day of March, 1924:.

GEORGE H. HAMP. 

